Charleston fires coach accused of abusive behavior

COLUMBIA, S.C. — College of Charleston president Glenn McConnell fired men's basketball coach Doug Wojcik on Tuesday, more than a month after the school said it was investigating Wojcik, who players, assistant coaches and athletic department staffers said verbally abused them.

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McConnell announced the decision in a letter to the "campus community." He said the school would have no further comments.

By firing Wojcik with cause, the school is trying to avoid paying the $1.2 million owed him for the final three seasons of his five-year contract. Wojcik's attorney Scott Tompsett said in a statement that the College of Charleston did not make a good faith attempt to reach a settlement and became desperate to invent a reason to fire a coach.

"Today's action by the College of Charleston will not bring closure to the College, the basketball program, or the student-athletes and their families," Tompsett said.

A 50-page report contained summaries of interviews with Wojcik and 26 others. Wojcik said in the report that he was shocked by the allegations.

Cal sued over death

OAKLAND, Calif. — The family of former California football player Ted Agu filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Regents of the University of California, alleging "reckless and negligent behavior" by the staff toward an athlete known to have sickle cell trait.

The lawsuit filed in California Superior Court in Oakland says the university was negligent for hiring trainer Robert Jackson, who while at UCF was the sole certified athletic trainer present when player Ereck Plancher died after conditioning drills in March 2008.

Agu died after an offseason training run Feb. 7 in Berkeley. The lawsuit says that, like Plancher, Agu had sickle cell trait and should not have been put through a "lethal conditioning drill."

TCU: School officials said defensive end Devonte Fields remains "separated" from the university, meaning the preseason Big 12 defensive player of the year is still barred from campus and school activities. Fields last month surrendered to authorities on a misdemeanor assault warrant amid allegations that he threatened his ex-girlfriend and punched her.